The Joy of Sharing

There is nothing more nobler than the act of sharing.  Sharing is a basic act of letting the other person know you care.  Young children learn about sharing by watching the adults around them.  Actions certainly speak louder than words.  Growing up with two wonderful sisters made it easier for me to learn the value of sharing.  What I learned from them made me into the adult I am today. 

I am very thankful my older sisters taught me this important lesson.   It brings great joy to my heart because I have been able to pass on that important value to my three children.   They learned early on to share everything. 

I think sharing goes beyond material things.  My sisters and friends helped me shoulder the pain of my son’s illness.  They shared my pain by praying for me.  Now, they are sharing the joy of my son getting well again.  Life is so fragile, but having people around you to share joy makes life worth living.

Compassionate Children Become Compassionate Adults

 Earlier this week I wrote a post about sisters are special.  Today I want to write about friends are special too.  Since my son’s illness, many of the parents of Luc’s friends have been dropping off meals every night.  They know that I have been spending an entire day at my son’s bedside in the hospital.  I am very moved by their kindness.   Their actions remind me that compassionate children become compassionate adults.

Regarded as one of the greatest human virtues, compassion is an emotional response and attitude toward others that is deeply empathetic. It enables us to connect to human suffering with care and understanding, acting in ways that brings comfort to those around us. Research shows that compassion plays a key role in helping children develop into engaged, caring, and optimistic adults.

The old adage that says: Charity begins at home is so true. I think one of the best things we can do as parents is to encourage children to treat their siblings with love and respect. A child that learns early on to be a friend to a sibling can transfer that friendship to others. When my kids were young, I made sure they understood the importance of treating their siblings with respect and love. I helped my children figure out how to be a friend to each other. This strong belief is what led me to write My Sister Is My Best Friend as sisters that got along with one another.

 
I love what one reviewer wrote about the book:

“I like this book because it portrays sisters who get along and enjoy each others' company instead of being yet another one about sibling rivalry.”

Even in the face of a major illness, I was able to draw some positives to help my son understand and appreciate what true compassion is all about. He will be writing thank you cards for all who lovingly made meals. The blue cooler pictured below was filled with his favorite food.  upon our arrival from the hospital  on Saturday, we sat and ate a very healthy and robust lunch.  The families insisted on providing us meals until Tuesday .   I am abundantly blessed to live in a community with such compassionate individuals.

 

Sisters are Special

Do you have sisters? Are they as special as mine are?  I am sure they are.  I find great comfort knowing my sisters are there for me.  I am the youngest.  In good and bad times, my sisters are always there to support me.  Last month my sisters Danielle and Rose flew to Malibu, California to attend my daughter’s college graduation from Pepperdine University.

 My two sisters Rose and Danielle with my daughter Michele at her college graduation

The past two weeks have been very difficult as my youngest have been very sick.  Again, my sisters came to my support.  As I sit here in my son’s hospital room, I got inspired to write this post to share my thoughts on how thankful I am to have such great sisters. 

Yesterday my sister Rose brought me my favorite meal for lunch.  It gets very boring eating the same cafeteria food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I usually arrive at hospital by 6AM and leave by 8PM, so I do not have time to cook or even go to the store.  I want to spend as much time with my son as possible.

My sister Danielle lives in Long Island, New York.  She calls every day to give moral support and well wishes.

Feel free to share your sister story by leaving a comment. Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts.

I consider myself very blessed to be part of Guardian Angel Publishing.  My publisher Lynda Burch, publishes quality children's books for ages 0-12 and it is with great pleasure I share with you the media release  below.  Hope you have time to stop by and check out the new Ezine format.  Thank you for your interest and support.


M E D I A R E L E A S E

CONTACT: Donna McDine, Editor-in-Chief, Guardian Angel Kids Ezine
Email: submissions@guardian-angel-kids.com
Website: http://guardian-angel-kids.com


For Immediate Release

Children’s Ezine Guardian Angel Kids: Growing Up – June 2012 Issue

The Guardian Angel Kids creative crew is pleased to announce the new Ezine format. The inviting visual will take the reader on a turn page style adventure with the click of the mouse accompanied with the sound of turning a page in your hand. Without further ado, we present the Guardian Angel Kids Growing Up June 2012 issue…

The carefree days of childhood invokes memories of lazy days of summer vacation filled with days of swimming at the town pool. It was the central social point of the neighborhood and the excitement of the day would then flow onto our cul-de-sac (after the children of the neighborhood ate their respective suppers) where there was always a stick ball game going on until the single street light flickered on. Quickly we would change gears and switch to playing flashlight tag. My mother, always an avid reader, made sure her children read each and every day and to this day we all have instilled the same love of reading with our own children. Without lapsing in our reading skills throughout the summer we were always well prepared with our studies. The days appeared endless and before you knew it, it was time for back to school shopping.

The love of reading has led me to the path of writing for children and Editor-in-Chief of Guardian Angel Publishing, for which I’m joyful for and proud to present the Guardian Angel Kids June 2012 issue of Growing Up www.guardian-angel-kids.com.

We hope you enjoy our issue of Growing Up as much the Guardian Angel Kid staff did reminiscing about our childhoods and selecting the wonderful poetry, stories, articles, and activities.


LETTER FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Donna M. McDine

FEATURED BOOKS:

Growing Up Dreams by Susan Berger and illustrated by Samantha Bell

The Odd Chick by Mary Esparza-Vela and illustrated by Kevin Collier

CHILDREN’S POETRY, ACTIVITIES, SHORT STORIES, AND ARTICLES:

“I’m Growing Up,” poetry by Guy Belleranti – how quickly the time passes by.
“Is It Friday Yet?” poetry by Alicia Z. Klepeis – The excitement of the approaching end of the week.
“Activities to Make Reading Fun,” by Kathy Stemke – having fun with language is the key to unlocking the world of reading to your child.
“Too Much Trouble,” by Juliana M. Jones and illustrated by Nancy Miller – the growing responsibility of getting older.
“Maid for Make Believe,” by Caroline Yu and illustrated by Clara Batton Smith – the magic of pretend brings to friends closer together.
“Read Aloud Tips for Preschoolers: Put Some Pizzazz in Reading Aloud,” by Dorit Sasson – how to connect to the story by acting it out.
“Encouraging Your Reader,” by Vanessa Fortenberry – tips on how to encourage and instill the love of reading.

Visit Guardian Angel Kid today and www.guardian-angel-kids.com and enjoy a child safe and ad free Ezine.

We also invite you to stay connected with Guardian Angel Kids through our Facebook Fan Pagehttp://www.facebook.com/pages/Guardian-Angel-Kids-Ezine/163785080346247.

Please feel free to drop Editor-in-Chief, Donna McDine an email at submissions@guardian-angel-kids.comand let them know what you think of Guardian Angel Kids and what you'd like to see in the future. They aim to please.

The Guardian Angel Kids Ezine staff and contributors look forward to your visit. Thank you for your time and interest.